ruveyn wrote:
Have you ever wondered why socialism barely works? Even in successful so called socialist nations there is an operational free market and private ownership of property. Really fully collectivist bee-hive socialism exists nowhere and where ever it has been tried it has failed. Even after the Russian Revolution, Lenin had to introduced the New Economic Policy which brought back or protected some forms of private ownership and Soviet Russia was fed and kept alive by the private land plots reluctantly granted to the collectivist farm workers.
ruveyn
Gadaffi Socialism had been going just dandy for 40 odd years until the NTC/NATO rats showed up. Did you ever wonder why they wanted rid of it badly despite A) It was of no imminent threat to NATO and B) Gadaffi had pledged support for the so-called 'war on terror'? Because as an example of working Socialism, it was an embarressment to the global neo-liberal agenda.
Now Libya has gone from a direct democracy that took care of its vulnerable to a cestpit dustbowl run into the ground by NTC thugs, western profiteers and inter tribal rivalry where Al Quaeda now have a power stake.
Gadaffi should have stuck to his guns and realised what it means to extend the olive branch to the British and Americans; you end up with a knife in your back. He should have pushed for nuclear proliferation and crushed the NTC while he still could.
I think what it also means is that other anti western countries like Iran and North Korea are going to consolidate their hardline positions because they see what it means when you demilitarise and soften your politics. Where before they may have waivered towards moderation and dialogue they are not going to be tricked any more. Its probably partly why Kim Jung Un and Ahmoudinejhad has been sabre rattling more recently.